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You better watch that video. Your release lever needs to be vertical before lowering it. Also should be able to cycle it up and down, and feel the inside moving around. JUMP TO 46 SECONDS.
This, I am really starting to think OP is trying to hook up /w the latch closed. Send us a picture of the trailer on the ball /w the latch in the open 90 degree position.
No, I'm Not doing that. Understand why you might think that though. I contacted Trailers Plus, they called me when they got in at 10:00am, and I sent them my pictures. They told me the lock looked fine. But to make sure the ball was indeed 2 5/16, which it was. They then had me place two boards under the trailer jack and jack it up as far as I could. They said the rear of the truck should raise up, and if it did, it was fine. I asked if jacking something up in a static environment was as good a check for something that was going to be bouncing down I-10 and who knows where else, and he said it was. Here's a picture of the jack fully extended and ther rear of the truck raised. Some people here said it didn't look right, but the boys at TrailersPlus say it's ok. Not sure what to think... But the hitch doesn't come off while jacked up, though....
Last edited by Borracho; 07-16-2019 at 05:26 PM.
Reason: 5/16 not 5/8
You better watch that video. Your release lever needs to be vertical before lowering it. Also should be able to cycle it up and down, and feel the inside moving around. JUMP TO 46 SECONDS.
The only reason I let the latch sit flat was so people could see that the two tabs on the lock itself weren't sitting flush with the hitch even when the ball wasn't present.
This, I am really starting to think OP is trying to hook up /w the latch closed. Send us a picture of the trailer on the ball /w the latch in the open 90 degree position.
Not all rotate 90º. Some, you lift the rear of the handle about 45º and slide it rearwards.
OP: Your most recent photo is much clearer, and shows that the underjaw does not sit underneath the ball, but keeps the ball forward in the receptacle and relies on that alone to keep the coupler seated. My large trailer with that type of mechanism does slip underneath the rear of the ball a bit, but also does the same thing, pushing the ball forward in the receptacle, which does roll underneath the ball a good bit at the front of the coupler. I take it this is a cost decision, your underjaw appears to be stamped, while mine is cast.
At any rate, if you can lift the rear wheels off the ground with the trailer (use a floor jack to test , you're golden.
This advice is worth exactly what you are paying for it, but still better than the rest of the advice you are getting.
The coupler in your photo appears latched, but you can tell for sure by whether you can slide a lock (or pin) through the lock hole on it. You should NEVER tow a trailer without that hole pinned as it is the backup for the latches catch. Attached are two photos, one latched and on not latched. Note that the hole is obstructed when not latched.
Second bit of advice would be that until you have gained sufficient expertise to know that your are properly latched on the ball, you should ALWAYS lift the truck a bit with your tongue jack to verify a solid coupling.
Last edited by mikeinatlanta; 07-22-2019 at 01:00 PM.
Reason: spelling
Just an FYI, not all latches slide under the ball. Some do butt up about 2/3rds down the ball. My Travel trailer is like this, and I darn near lifted the rear wheels of the truck off the ground yesterday removing the spring bars. The tires were barely touching the ground. OTOH my small enclosed trailer, that latch slips under the ball at the very base of it.
07-16-2019, 12:40 PM
, you're golden.
